Autopia going electric? Tomorrowland Speedway still stinks like 1971
Disney kind of, sort of, said this week that it would replace the gasoline-powered engines in its Autopia cars at Disneyland with electric motors. “In the next few years,” which could mean anything. The Los Angeles Times reported it first, but Disney’s response sounded like PR not wanting to get ahead of something and hoping the response of “I’ll get right on top of that, Rose” would suffice. The result was everyone, their mother, and Autoblog reporting that Autopia was going electric.
Thing is, Autopia is only one version of the iconic race track ride that has provided countless kids with their first opportunity behind the wheel. There’s also the Tomorrowland Speedway at the Magic Kingdom in Florida’s Walt Disney World. While the California version was updated in 2000 with new car designs, and then in 2016 with brand-new engines from ride sponsor Honda, the ones at Walt Disney World would seem to be the same ones that set off in 1971 when the Magic Kingdom opened. I’ve found nothing in various encyclopedic Disney entries for the ride indicating the Briggs & Stratton engines are anything but original. Experience would back that up.
I was also literally on that ride, multiple times, last month during a family vacation (that’s my son and wife above). And I tell ya, they sure sound and smell like stanky old engines made in 1971. For a ride dubbed the “Tomorrowland Speedway,” those cars are more “Yesterland.” As bad as it was standing next to the cars while lining up and waiting to board, I couldn’t help but sympathize with the ride operators who have to breathe that in all day. Parking garage attendants have it better — at least they’re mostly dealing with engines made this century. I haven’t been to Disneyland since the Honda engine switch, but according to this Autoweek review of them, they are EPA- and CARB-certified modern engines. I have to imagine the difference would be significant.
Basically, while it would be great if Autopia went electric, that’s not the version of the ride that really needs the update. I’ve seen it postulated that if Autopia really does make the switch that Tomorrowland Speedway would follow suit, but if it didn’t in 2000 or 2016, why would it now? During my aforementioned trip to Disney World, I found it disappointing that Disney could be eco-minded in certain respects at its theme parks, but then very much not so in many others. For a company that goes above and beyond in so many ways related to its theme park experience, this is one area where it needs to be better. It’s not just a matter of 1970s-era engines being off-theme for “Tomorrowland,” it’s a matter of health for guests and “cast members.”
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